“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going,” is a quote by Beverly Sills. For MES kindergarten student, Luna Pelton, that’s a lesson her father has instilled in her at a young age. Last year, when she was four-years-old, Luna earned recognition in the Catskill 3500 Club. She was the only person her age to hike all 35 peaks in the Catskills that are above 3500 feet. Jay Pelton helped his daughter set hiking goals, and was with her every step of the way to achieve it.
This year, Luna went back to those same peaks and did it all over again. But this time, she did it all in one season which earned her the title of Winter 35er. “We are so proud of Luna’s amazing accomplishment,” said Principal Amy Irwin. “That doesn’t seem like an easy task, let alone in the snow at the age of five! Luna put her mind to achieving her goal and, with the help of her family, made it happen. We can’t wait to see what she does next.” Amber Shultes, the teaching assistant in Luna’s classroom called her, “a bright young girl and an excellent artist as well!” Luna was recently featured on Channel 10 for her hiking milestone. This is the second time she has been interviewed by the local station. Way to go Luna!